Michael Malone had been dropping breadcrumbs for more than a week, hinting at a new plan for the sprint to the finish line.

When Monte Morris splashed home a first-quarter buzzer-beater at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday night — with Jamal Murray, not Isaiah Thomas, next to him in the backcourt — the clues the head coach of the Nuggets had provided about shortening his rotation crystallized into a clear picture.

Thomas, one month after he debuted with the Nuggets after a lengthy injury rehab, had been benched. Malone, trying to help his team find its stride during this sprint to the playoffs, shortened the bulk of the rotation to just eight players, and the veteran point guard was on the outside looking in.

Before the Nuggets ran to a 133-107 get-right victory over the Timberwolves, Malone pulled Thomas aside for a one-on-one conversation to explain his decision. The two have a bond that goes back to the beginning of the point guard’s career in...